Since the first service started on February 27 this year, I happened to get on the “New Bus for London” for the first time about a month ago. This futuristic bus is the new version of London’s beloved Routemaster. The original Routemaster was withdrawn from service at the end of 2005 by former London Mayor Ken Livingstone. However, his archenemy Boris Johnson whose campaign pledges being to introduce a new Routemaster was subsequently elected Mayor in 2008, and he did what he promised to do.

Designed by London-based Heatherwick Studio, the new bus, currently operating on route 38 only, features the ‘hop-on hop-off’ rear open platform of the original Routemaster, but is operated by latest technology of hybrid electric engine which is quieter, smoother, and more environmental. The project cost almost £8million to develop (BBC news) and final cost to purchase about 600 buses will be around £180 million (approx. £300,000 per bus!), which are drawn from tax-payers’ money. Yes, the new bus is a bit more spacious and comfortable but less noisy, but I am not sure if it’s worth its price tag. Also I’ve never seen anyone hop-on or hop-out this new Routemaster, and I don’t know if the platform is really necessary… Boris’ sentimentalism in the London’s old icon costs us a lot. Hope bus fare won’t hike because of those buses…

It is said that more than 4,300 people lost their lives in London due to poor air quality every year. All that comes out of these hydrogen buses is water vapour and the vehicle can operate for more than 18 hours without refueling. RV1 route, where currently hydrogen buses are operated, connects popular tourist attractions such as the Tower of London, the Tate Modern, the South Bank arts complex, the London Eye and Covent Garden – perfect to appeal ‘clean’ London to visitors. Green-obsessed London mayor Boris Johnson aims to encourage a minimum of 150 hydrogen-powered vehicles on the road by 2012 including 15 hydrogen-powered taxis. Great, but isn’t the number of hydrogen taxis too small? Probably cost conscious self-employed taxi owners don’t want to spend too much money to upgrade to low emission vehicles under this recession, even with some financial incentive from the city government.

By the way, I recommend Vapiano at the Bankside Mix when you go to the Tate Modern or nearby Borough Market where restaurants around are always packed – it is spacious and bright with plenty of sunshine coming through floor-to-ceiling windows, and not many people know it at this moment as opened recently.

Well-known eccentric London Mayor Boris Johnson stunned UK with an astonishing speech at the Beijing Olympic closing ceremony, declaring ‘Ping pong is coming home!’, at the heart of Ping-Pong empire of the world (see details here). According to the mayor, ping-pong was invented on the dining tables of England in the 19th century, and it was called “whiff whaff”. Later his claim has been attacked by the descendants of the world’s oldest sporting and games manufacturer “Jacques London“, who claim that their Jaques family was first to codify the game (see details here).

I am not sure what is the truth, but whatever the truth, it may be a good idea to play ping-pong to shed some calories off from your body, after having a pint of beer at a pub, under long daylight during London’s short but nice summer.

最近のロンドンは、とにかく道路工事が多い。出かける度に、工事による迂回や道幅縮小、またそれによって引き起こされる交通渋滞に遭遇する。今日のイブニング・スタンダード紙の記事によると、ロンドンでは昨年1年間で37万件もの道路工事が行われた（ロンドン交通局：Transport for London調べ）。これは、ロンドンにある8万5千の通りが平均4回は掘り起こされた計算になり、これらの工事による市の経済的ダメージは年間10億ポンドに上るという。ロンドンでは今日時点で、5500以上の道路工事が行われており、その中にはオックスフォード・ストリートやピカデリーなど、主要な道路も含まれているという。

この異常な数は、工事数の60％を占める、水道会社のテムズ・ウォーター）による老朽化した水道管の交換（今年がビクトリア時代に作られた水漏れの激しい水道本管の交換のピークになるそう。詳細はこのサイトで）の他、ロンドンの東西を結ぶCrossrail計画を含む、2012年開催予定のロンドン・オリンピックに向けてのインフラの整備、そして30年来の寒波の影響に夜18万個もの道路のくぼみや水道管やガスパイプの破裂が原因であるが、ボリス・ジョンソンロンドン市長も、公約である「war on roadworks（道路工事との戦い）」を遂行していないと、批判の矢面に立っている。市長の工事許可制制度では、工事を行う会社は開始前に区から許可を得ないといけないとされているが、全ての区がこの制度を採用しているわけではない。

この道路工事の嵐は、オリンピックが始まるまで続くんだろうか。まったくもって迷惑な話だ。

There is a lot of roadworks all over London recently, and I encounter a road restriction, diversion or traffic jam caused by the roadworks every time I go out. According to today’s Evening Standard‘s article, 370,000 sets of roadworks were recorded last year (figures from Transport for London), and it means that the equivalent of each of the London’s estimated 85,000 streets has been dug up four times on average in the last 12 months, costing the city’s economy up to £1 billion a year. More than 5,500 roads are being worked in London on today, including major routes such as Oxford Street and Piccadilly.

This crazy number of works has been created by Thames Water, which responsible for up to 60% of the works with their pipe replacements (this year will be the peak for replacing leaky Victorian mains), as well as preparations for the 2012 Summer Olympics including major engineering and infrastructure projects such as Crossrail, and the coldest winter in 31 years that caused damages, including estimated 180,000 potholes on the roads, and fractures to underground water and gas pipes. Mayor Boris Johnson is also criticized as he has failed to deliver on his promised “war on roadworks,” cutting roadworks by licences and strong control, but not all boroughs have signed up to the Mayor’s permit scheme that requires utility companies to apply for a permit before they begin a roadwork.

I am afraid that the roadwork hell will continue until the London Olympics – what a pain in the neck!!

Yesterday, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport for London (TFL) announced a new Cycle Safety campaign for improving cycle safety and reducing the number of serious cycling accidents, before the launch of the Cycle Hire Scheme this summer. This campaign includes additional funding for cycle training, working with the Police and the London Criminal Justice Board to tackle irresponsible behaviors on the road and to strengthen criminal justice procedures for dealing with cyclist deaths and serious injuries, distributing safety mirrors such as Trixi mirrors to fleet operators and working with the HGV industry to avoid deliveries at peak times, constructing Cycle Superhighways, and possibility of allowing cyclists to turn left at red traffic lights, particularly to avoid collisions with lorries and trucks (see also my past entry), which are responsible for more than half of London’s cyclist deaths each year. The video above is a campaign advert on TV and in cinemas across London, encouraging drivers to look out for cyclists on the roads. It is funny but shocking – a group of bank robbers fail to notice a cyclist as they escape in a car.

As a cyclist himself, the Mayor is a enthusiastic promoter of bicycle and safety of cyclists, spending a record £111 million in 2009/10 and promoting the controversial Cycle Hire Scheme, inspired by theft and vandal-ridden Paris’ Vélib. However, as a cyclist, I want the city to spend more money for making more bicycle lanes throughout the city, that are fully protected from obnoxious drivers, like the ones in northern European countries. I would think educational brochure and cycle training teaching us just common sense are more or less waste of money, except for children – many cyclists know the rules but just ignore them to travel faster. Planned Cycle Superhighways connect London and its suburb (see the routes), not within the city, and it is no use for me as a central London resident (well, at the edge of it). By the way, there are a lot of ‘crap’ bicycle lanes throughout the city and UK, and you can check those on photo-sharing Flickr group “the world’s worst cycle lanes,” organized by the Guardian,” as well as the book “Crap Cycle Lanes“.

The two photos below are the “Ghost Bikes” placed on the fatal accident locations across UK, paying tribute to dead cyclists. Two cyclists’ death by being hit by a truck, were reported in the last two days in London (article 1、article 2).